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The Son of Mercy

Chapter 14

Atieno held the ball of light aloft in his paw as he drew near to the altar beneath Ti'uu's shrine. His steps echoed in the stillness, and peering down the dark corridor, he could see the gold bowl of water on the altar, shimmering and winking, as if Ti'uu were impatiently awaiting their meeting. On the wall behind the altar, a likeness of the god of water and sun towered, wings spread, golden eyes unseeing. A stone and a dagger sat either side the bowl, and Atieno had called to Ti'uu so many times, he didn't need to see them to know where they were. He let the light extinguish from his paw, and in the sudden darkness, he took the dagger and sliced his palm. Hot blood ran in ribbons down his arm as he smeared it on the stone, then dropped the stone in the water. The water began to glow until its soft light filled the hall and lit Atieno's face from beneath.

Atieno cleared his throat and murmured, "Father . . ."

The likeness on the wall stirred. Ti'uu's image blinked, and the water rippled in the bowl when he spoke, "My son. You have done as I have asked."

"Yes," Atieno said. He frowned impatiently at the image. "Now can I return to Skkye, oh mighty father?" he said sarcastically.

The image frowned disapprovingly. "I did not ask you to make love to Zeinara."

Atieno angrily dropped his eyes. "I know."

"I asked you to make certain she reached Azrian and made her mortal."

Atieno's face darkened. "I know."

"So then you know you have not truly done as I have asked. Why then should I reward you?"

Atieno's nostrils flared angrily. "Maybe because I did do what you asked?" he said through his fangs. "Zeinara made Azrian mortal. She's on Aonre even as we speak --!"

"And Ayni sent fire from Skkye that cast her down," Ti'uu said over him, his quiet voice echoing from the water. "She has been waiting for years for Azrian to make the mistake of leaving S'pru. It was the only way she could harm her: Hildrith'el protects the place."

Atieno's face twisted. "Shouldn't you have seen this coming, oh god of foresight and micromanaging!" he demanded sarcastically.

The image's golden eyes glinted a warning. "Do not open a mouth to me, child."

Atieno dropped his gaze again, silently scolding himself. "I know what you're going to ask," he said tensely, "but cub-sitting Azrian was not a part of the deal."

The image narrowed his eyes, glaring down at Atieno. "I am ashamed in this moment to call you a child of mine," he said.

Atieno's lips tightened. "I don't want any part of this. I just want to return to Skkye."

"You must be my instrument. You must walk where I can not, guide Azrian where I can not. Don't you care for your sister?"

Atieno wanted to say no, but he knew that would only incur the god's wrath. "Why can't you choose someone else?" he demanded. "What about that dog with the eye trick --"

"I learned from Judith that a mortal should not bear the burden of such power. Especially one without magic. The weight of my gift almost killed her."

Atieno's chest heaved. "And what about me? You cast me down here, you made me mortal - aren't I in just as much danger!"

"No, my child. You remain more powerful than most mortals in the realm. You can protect Azrian. You can take her to Wychowl, where she was meant to rule."

Atieno shook his head bitterly. "You're still trying to dictate her."

"My son . . ." Ti'uu began unhappily.

"You think you're better than Ayni, but you really aren't!" Atieno shouted. "Do you know why Ayni blasted Azrian to Aonre? Because Azrian killed her child and there was nothing she could do about it! There was nothing she could do because you locked her away --!"

"I had to lock her away!" Ti'uu snapped. "And I will not be judged by a child of mine! Do you have any idea what danger Hellene posed to the world? She was a champion of the dogs and would have slaughtered the foxes left and right. What I did saved lives. And you would know that if you hadn't been too busy languishing in the SummerValley."

Atieno's ears flattened and he bowed his head. "I like it there. The dogs have forgotten it. I like being away from the world and its troubles."

"I know, my son," Ti'uu said soothingly.

Atieno closed his eyes and could feel the mist of his father's water rolling from the bowl to caress him. "And you believe me?" he whispered. "About Mother? You believe me that it was Ayni?"

"Yes," Ti'uu answered apologetically. "Of course, she denies it all. The other reason I locked her away."

Atieno lifted his face and smiled through his tears. "And it only took an eon for you to believe your own son?"

The image frowned sadly. "I can not say I am sorry enough. My son . . . even a god can make mistakes."

Atieno dropped his eyes again.

"Ayni's children are still a threat," the god continued. "The Skkye Stone is still free in the world, a device that was never meant to enter the mortal realm. And now Ettoras has Skkye Glass. I saw him fall through the water with it."

Atieno rolled his eyes. "_Great._Why can't you just kill all the Carringtons and be done with it?" He folded his arms.

The image frowned. "There are other paths, my son."

Atieno sighed. "So what then? What do you want me to do? I'm not Azrian. I refuse to fix Aonre's problems for you. I've half a mind to just stroll back to the SummerValley and forget this mess."

"Then go if it pleases you. But know that you will never see the light of Skkye again."

Atieno clicked his fangs in frustration. "Fine! I'll do whatever!"

The image smiled. "Of course you will. You are my son."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Head to CrinningtonForest in Varimore. Etienne has sent a group there in search of Robin and Zeinara. The group will discover too late that they are not there. You will find Azrian. I will guide you to her --"

Atieno moaned.

"Do not complain. She is your sister."

"She's my sister. Doesn't mean I have to like it."

The image slowly scowled.

"Alright," Atieno muttered bitterly. "Go to Crinnington. Find this group. And do what?"

"Convince them Robin has gone to the SummerValley and lead them there."

". . . you've got to be kidding me."

"It is paramount that we retrieve the weapons. In Azrian's absence, the gods will vie for control of S'pru. They will make gods of mortals and there will chaos. We mustn't let them. Do you understand?"

Atieno sighed. "No. I don't. You plan to force - I'm sorry, 'guide' - Azrian back to Wychowl," he said, derisively using air quotes that made Ti'uu frown. "Why didn't you have a backup plan in place for when the gods attacked S'pru? And why does Etienne's little search party need to be guided to the SummerValley? I could just go alone --"

"No. You will need their aid in retrieving the weapons. Ettoras is with two very powerful Guides who wish to take the stone to the SummerValley it. Their actions are commendable, but the weapon must not stay on Aonre. It must be returned to Skkye along with the Skkye Glass."

"Ah. So you want me to gain the trust of Etienne's search party, guide them all the way to what I _know_will be a trap, and have them possibly _die_to help me in retrieving ancient magical weapons?"

"Yes."

"That's terrible. And why can't I just, you know, gain the _Guides'_trust and steal the weapons from them? Boom, bang, I'm out."

"Because if you were caught betraying their trust, the two of them would kill you. Alone, you stand little chance. But with Azrian's help and with Etienne's search party, among which there is a powerful sorcerer --"

"Ah. I get it."

"I refuse to send you alone, my son."

"And you know a Guide would never trust me. Because they serve Zuu'ma . . . your exiled lover. The lover you betrayed for my mother."

Ti'uu was silent.

"What about Etienne's search party?" Atieno demanded after a pause. "You're willing to let them die?"

"If it means protecting your sister and the world at large, yes. It is my hope that you will not have to fight anyone. You will steal the weapons and you will not get caught. You know the stone is a portal. You will use it to bring Azrian to Wychowl. Then return the weapons to me."

Atieno sighed. "Alright. But what about the Robin girl? Yfel is up to something. Shouldn't we stop her . . . ?"

"No," Ti'uu said and vanished, leaving his image still and unseeing once more.

***

Azrian knew she was lucky she had fallen above a river. One of her wings was too badly injured to hold her up as she struggled to fly and flames still licked painfully through her fur. She threw out her paws as she was plummeting down, and as her long red mane whipped back in the wind, the river water responded to the call of her magic, rising high to catch her like a mother's waiting arms. She fell into the water with a soft plop and barely a splash. Bubbles foamed from her mouth and nose as she twisted beneath the current, her mane slapped across her eyes, and she could feel the water healing her, restoring her injured wing and soothing her burns. It only took a moment for her to remember she was mortal: the water started to choke her. She pushed herself desperately, kicking harder and harder, until her head broke the surface and she found herself crawling through the cold mud. Coughing and drenched, she collapsed and looked around, but even in the dark, she knew exactly where she was.

"C-Crinnington," Azrian rasped as she pushed herself to her feet. She would recognize the smell of the forest anywhere. It smelled ancient, of sorrow and blood. And apparently, it was still empty. Even after all Azrian had done to restore the forest years before, had remained silent and still. She swallowed hard when a strange scent caught her nose, and suddenly, the reason for the silence was apparent: a presence walked the forest, menacing, magical, and its very shadow had chased the creatures of Crinnington away.

"Ettoras!" Azrian called, trying to keep the sob from her voice.

"Hello, Azrian!" returned the stranger.

Azrian followed the sound of the voice to see a silhouette was approaching through the trees. A light bobbed alongside it, rotating like a tiny moon, and she knew immediately that the approaching stranger was a fox. She conjured fire at once in her fist. The stranger drew near, and she could see his smiling face half-cast in shadow when he stopped to regard her.

"Whoa there!" he cried and lifted his empty paws in mock surrender. "I'm a friend!"

"The hell you are!" Azrian shouted and the fire in her fist danced bright against her curled fingers. "Stay back! Or I'll burn you a new face!"

The stranger dropped his paws and slowly smiled. "Why, baby sister!" he said mischievously and a knife materialized in the paw behind his back. "That sounds . . . thrilling."